I’m a farmers market kind of gal: I love getting up close and personal with the items I’m buying as well as meeting local makers, bakers, farmers, and vendors. So, in the spring of 2024 when I found a new to me sourdough business called Whisked by Krystal at the St. Clair Farmers Market, I was excited to meet and chat with the self-taught baker.
Although I wasn’t looking for freshly baked bread or delicious sweet baked goodies at that first meeting, they looked so amazing, I bought some things anyway…and I was instantly hooked! While her menu can vary at each market, the typical offerings are items like bread loaves, such as the beautiful artisan style depicted below, to French bread, or sweets like cinnamon rolls and the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten. Seriously, they’re soft, buttery, with that just right salty-sweet balance.
Loaves of sourdough bread. Photo via Whisked by Krystal on Facebook.
While this cottage baker doesn’t have a traditional brick and mortar, she is often set up at the St. Clair Farmers Market, which happens on the first and third Saturdays at the Elks Lodge in St. Clair. In addition to the loaves of bread, cookies, and other treats she sells at the farmers market, Krystal also does custom orders, like cakes and cupcakes for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, and other celebrations. While I have never tried one of her cakes, photos of her creations look divine 😀
A custom cake made for an anniversary celebration. Photo via Whisked by Krystal on Facebook.
The Socialite suggests you check out Whisked by Krystal on Facebook to learn more!
Being that I’m a coffee aficionado, I like to try as many coffee shops as I can, and sometimes that means exploring in areas outside of Franklin County. When I’m headed that way, one of my favorite places to stop for an iced latte and food is La Finca Coffee in Old Town Eureka.
The coffee shop is in a charming and walkable part of Eureka, on Central Avenue, a street that has shops and a few other eateries. Although I was bummed (and still am) when La Finca Coffee closed the doors on its short-lived Washington location at the end of 2024, it’s definitely worth the trip to Eureka to enjoy a cup of their coffee.
An iced churro cold brew with cold foam on the left and iced latte with housemade coconut syrup on the right. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Besides coffee, the drink menu also features teas like matcha and chai, along with smoothies and bottled sodas like Mexican Coca Cola and Jarritos. There’s a lot more than just drinks on the menu, so it’s hard to pass up ordering a snack or full meal whenever I visit. While their empanadas and pastries are divine, when I am there during breakfast hours, my husband and I can’t resist splitting the breakfast burrito, made with refried beans, eggs, chorizo, and cheese.
The breakfast burrito from La Finca Coffee is large enough to share, or save half for another meal. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Although it’s really tasty, it’s so huge we always split the burrito. However, on our last visit, we deviated from this plan because the menu now features a housemade sourdough bagel sandwich. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try the sandwich made from a sourdough sharp cheddar bagel that has a fried egg, mayo, lettuce, bacon, and what I believe was cubed jamón, a dry-cured ham that is typically produced in Spain.
The housemade sourdough bagel sandwich at La Finca Coffee in Eureka. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
With two kinds of pork, eggs, and cheese, plus the subtle tang from the sourdough, the flavors on the breakfast sandwich are sooo, so good. And it’s also quite large. We cut it in half so we could split it as well.
The only things I would do differently next time, is not order two breakfasts, since we took food home, and also request that the bagel be toasted/heated for a shorter amount of time, since the cheese that’s baked into the bagel got a little too crispy for my liking and made it a slightly tougher bite than I prefer.
The breakfast menu also features eggs benedict and heuvos rancheros, while the lunch offerings range from the Cuban sandwich, which is amazing and you guessed it, large enough to share! There are also street tacos and quesabirria tacos, a chicken salad sandwich, and asada fries, which are fries topped with carne asada, cheese, pico, and cream, these are on my list to try soon!
The next time you’re near Eureka, I hope you’ll stop by this great eatery.
It’s prime time for dining al fresco, and we’re blessed with a number of wineries here in Missouri, which typically have outdoor dining options that often feature picturesque views of the rolling hills located throughout the Show Me State. Triple 3 Vineyard is located just minutes from downtown Washington, yet offers its guests a relaxed, rural atmosphere.
With its multiple seating areas that offer an elegant, yet rustic vibe, both inside and out, it’s a great place to meet friends or enjoy a romantic date. I recently spent a Saturday afternoon with friends at Triple 3, and although it was my first time just hanging out at the winery, it wasn’t my first visit. The establishment is also an event venue and is often the site of weddings, banquets, fundraising dinners, and more, so I was already familiar with the space as I’d spent time at an event held in the gorgeous Trinity Hall.
If you plan to come to the winery to enjoy some food and drinks, you can expect a wide selection of wines, of course, but its drink menu also features cocktails, beer, and soft drinks. If you’re a loyal reader of the website, then you already know I’m a craft beer chick, so on my visit I enjoyed a can of local craft brand Deep Sleep Brewing’s Helles lager, but the menu also features domestic beers as well.
When it comes to the food menu, there’s a number of starters that are sized to share with others, such as the charcuterie board, Bavarian garlic pretzel (which is almost as big as a car steering wheel!), and more. Since I was there with a group, I got to sample a couple of shareable items that someone else ordered like the bruschetta and pretzel. Both were absolutely tasty, with the bruschetta topped with cherry tomatoes, pesto, and a generous drizzle of balsamic, while the Bavarian pretzel was soft, yet chewy, and had a delectable buttery garlic flavor.
In addition to the starters, there are some main course items like salads, sandwiches, and flatbreads. While I really debated on about four different items: the Greek salad, Reuben sandwich, Texas bistro sandwich (made with brisket), and the hot Hawaiian flatbread, the latter won out. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a good flatbread.
Hot Hawaiian flatbread at Triple 3 Vineyard. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
Let me start off by saying this is definitely large enough to feed two people, and I did end up sharing my flatbread! The delightfully crispy crust was topped with ham, bacon, red onion, pineapple, mozzarella, Baklouti oil, which gives the olive oil a yummy green chili flavor, as well as jalapeños, and is finished with dollops of a smoky and slightly sweet barbecue sauce. I love the salty, sweet, spicy, smoke flavors that this combination brings, so if you’ve got a similar palate, I think you’ll really dig the Hot Hawaiian.
If you’re team “no pineapple on pizza” or can’t handle spiciness, don’t worry, there’s a few other flatbread selections that are topped with brisket, or Italian meats like salami, pepperoni, plus bacon, or the Portobello and bacon option.
Whether you take my food or drink suggestions or not, I do hope you’ll get out and support some of the fabulous locally-owned dining options we have in our area!
While I love a healthy dining option any time of the year, during late spring and throughout summer, I tend to seek out lighter fare that’s nourishing and that will keep me full for hours. I found a new to me place that fits that description when I recently dined at a spot that has been on my list of places to try for months now.
That place is Lang-A-Tang Cafe & Catering, located in downtown New Haven. If you’re here, visiting my website, I’m guessing you love a small town vibe, like me. With its cute downtown that’s filled with eateries and shops, it’s worth a visit to New Haven.
When you step into the cafe, you may take notice of the charming interior in an inviting blue color, along with several seating areas inside, as well as in front. And, if you have even the slightest sweet tooth, your gaze may be drawn to the glass cases near the order counter containing delicious goodies like muffins, cookies, or pastries.
The eatery serves breakfast all day, with selections like quiche and frittata (which is essentially a crust-less quiche), a breakfast sandwich, breakfast burrito, biscuits and gravy, and avocado toast, as well as a few other items.
Lunch items range from healthy, yet filling options like salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Sandwiches include classics like a BLT, house-smoked pulled pork, and chicken salad to paninis like twists on popular dips and appetizers such as the caprese sandwich or the spinach artichoke. The three wraps on the menu include turkey or chicken club, or a chicken Caesar.
A salad option at Lang-A-Tang cafe in New Haven. Photo credit: The Socialite_Amanda Bretz
On the day I visited, I chose a salad filled with mixed greens, walnuts, dried cranberries, and feta. I opted to top mine with chicken and chose the poppy seed dressing, which provided a sweet and creamy finish to my bowl of greens. The salad was delicious, and big, keeping me full for hours.
The cafe also serves a number of beverages. There’s a selection of teas, like flavored herbal varieties available hot or iced, to bubble teas, drip coffee and espresso drinks. I didn’t try coffee on my visit, but I won’t make that mistake again and have my eye on trying one of the signature lattes like the Hermione’s Butter Beer, or Meg’s Blondie.
The Socialite recommends Lang-A-Tang Cafe & Catering!
